"After many opinions, determination was made to not have surgery. Chance he returns midseason,'' Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted today.

He reported the slightly fractured kneecap wasn't as bad as originally feared, and that the recovery and healing should take about 12-16 weeks.

That could put Wilson back on the field at the end September or October if all goes as planned. The Browns would not confirm or deny the report and have no update on Wilson's condition today.

Wilson, the cornerback out of Houston whom the Browns traded up to draft, broke the kneecap on the first day of rookie minicamp last Friday. At first, he said he'd undergo surgery. It's standard, however, for players to seek outside second opinions, and Wilson has done so, according to NFL Network.

"It's disappointing but this a part of playing football,'' Wilson said in a statement released by the Browns on Saturday. "It was kind of a freak thing. I was just running around and my knee just kind of locked up on me. I didn't think much of it but the training staff wanted to get the proper testing so I got the MRI. I'm a positive person so I will have the surgery, work hard in my rehab and look forward to getting back to out there and helping this team win some games.''

Browns coach Hue Jackson acknowledged "it's unfortunate. He'll be out for a while, significant time. So we'll deal with it accordingly. His spirits are high. He understands it. He understands what he's dealing with. He's already started to the process of getting his mind beyond that so he can get himself back as soon as he can."

In response to the injury, the Browns signed eight-year veteran cornerback Jason McCourty to a two-year deal worth $6 million. McCourty said in a phone interview Wednesday that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, whom he played for in 2013 in Tennessee, has also talked to him about playing safety.

"He has talked to me about that some,'' McCourty said. "I told Gregg, whatever position they see me, I'm willing to learn. I'm going to try to go learn corner, safety, all four positions. I'll try to help in any way I can.''

It's the second major knee injury for Wilson in two years. In 2015, he tore his right ACL in the third game of the season at Houston, and sat out the rest of the year. It has not been disclosed whether the broken kneecap is in the same knee. But he rebounded in 2016 to grab five interceptions.

"When I sat the year out, it made me love the game more,'' he said on draft night. "It made me cherish it and not take it for granted. It made me take every play like it was my last. Anytime that I had the opportunity to get the ball, that's what I was going to do."

The Browns traded two fifth-round picks to Denver to select Wilson at No. 126. They also received the next-to-last pick in the draft, No. 252, which they used on N.C. State running back Matthew Dayes.

"I feel like I'm a physical corner that can take the ball away,'' he said on draft weekend. "The ball is in the air it has to be mine. ... I just have to go get it every time."